The invention relates to a suspension conveyor system for conveying bobbins.
A suspension conveyor system of this type is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,611. The known suspension conveyor system comprises a bobbin transfer apparatus mounted for travelling on the floor along a ring spinning machine, and a suspension conveyor path for feeding full bobbins to the apparatus. The bobbin transfer apparatus is moved to a position where an empty bobbin is to be replaced by a full bobbin. A detector mounted on the bobbin transfer apparatus is used to sense whether a full bobbin on the conveyor train is in a suitable position for transfer. If this is the case, a gripper arm is extended to grip the full bobbin, release it from the conveyor train and suspend it at the free position on the ring spinning machine. If a full bobbin is not detected on the conveyor train, the detector acts to activate a drive mechanism of the conveyor train, whereupon the conveyor train is advanced until a full bobbin arrives at the suitable transfer position. This known system requires numerous control operations to be coordinated with regard to their timing sequence and localized function, resulting in a relatively complicated construction and control operation of the known system. The bobbin transfer operation is moreover relatively time-consuming, particularly when the bobbin transfer apparatus has to call first for a full bobbin to be fed. During the transfer operation, moreover, the conveyor train has to be stopped, since the gripper arm is only capable of effective operation when the full bobbin is accurately aligned at a defined position. As a result it is impossible to use for instance two bobbin transfer apparatuses for one and the same machine.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved suspension conveyor system comprising a bobbin transfer apparatus in a structurally simple manner so as to permit the bobbin transfer operation to be executed rapidly and accurately.